Cage-press expressing apparatus



A. W. FRENCH AND C. B. SMITH., CAGE PRESS EXPRESSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 14, 1917.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

A. W. FRENCH AND C R. SMITH.

CAGE PRESS EXPBESSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0c.14..191z.

1,360,206. ente Nov. 23, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. W. FRENCH AND C. B. SMITH.

CAGE PRESS EXPBESSING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mac. H. 1917.

1 60,206. Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

?ATENT OFFIQE.

UNITED STATES ALFRED W. FRENCH AND CLAUDE It. SMITH, OF PIQUA. OHIO; SAID SMITH ASSIGNQR TO FRENCH OIL MILL 'MACHINERY CO. AND SAID FRENCH, BOTH OF .PIQUA, OHIO,

CAGE-PRESS EXPRESSING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Application filed December 14, 1917. Serial No. 207,091.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ALFRED W. Francis and CLAUDE B. SMITH, citizens of the United 9' tcs, residing at Pioua, inthe county of i-..=ianii and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cage-Press Expressing Apparatus, of which the follow ing is a specification.

This invention relates to cage filling and tlscharging apparatus for use with o1l expressing presses of that kind in which the oil burning material is placed ln'separate layers or charges in an open-ended vertical press cage and is subjected to pressure by a ram which moves into the press cage. "W hen 5 ng the presses the rain is run up near to the top of the cage and a charge of the material delivered into the cage above the ram. The ram then descends a step and another charge of material is delivered into the upaid of the cage, suitable press plates and press cloths being placed between the ram and the first charge and between the succes sive charges in the cage. After. the cageis thus filled with loose charges of material. separated by the press plates and cloths. pressure is applied to compress the material and express the oil therefrom. In. some cases the are movable from the expressing press and. are filled in a filling press and th n transferred in succession, to a series of finishing or expressing presses in which the expressing pressure is applied, the cages beleft in the finishing presses for the necessary length of time to extract the oil, after which. the cages are again transported to the filling press, or another apparatus for dis charging the pressed cakes from the cages. Before the material is subjected to pressure in the cage, the charges or layers of material are loose and occu y considerable vertical space in the cage so that only a compara tively few charges can be introduced into a cage of given length, and as the mater al has to be compacted into a much smaller mass before the oil begins to run, muchspace in each cage is wasted and the capacity of the presses is greatly decreased, or else much time is consumed in packing the charges into the ca e so as to avoid lost space in the cage.

One object of this invention is to provide an apparatus by means of which the press cages can be rapidly filled and the charges compressed in the cage a compact mass which con'ipletely fills the cage before the cage is transferred to the finishing or expressing press in which the high pressure is applied for extracting the oil from the material. In this way a much larger number of cakes can be pressed in each finishing or expressing press and the capacity of the finishmg presses is very greatly increased.

Other objects of the invention'are to produce a cage filling apparatus preferably including a double filling device having two filling cages or receptacles and arranged to place said cages alternately over the press cage, so that while one of the receptacles is being filled. with the loose charges of material and the charges compacted therein, the cakes or charges of material which have been introduced and compacted in the other receptacle can be moved out of the same en masse into the. press cage, thus enabling the two operations of charging one filling cage and moving the cakes from the other filling cage into the press cage to be carried on simultaneously; also to associate the filling cages with a preliminary press which provides an extension of the filling cage whereby a snfiicient number of loose charges of material. to fill both the filling cage and said cage extension can be compressed at one time into the filling cage, thereby enabling the filling cage to be completely filled in one operation with. the partially compressed cakes or charges of material; also to provide de sirable means for lowering the ram of the preliminary press under the control of the device by which'the charges of material are delivered into the filling cage, so that the charges are delivered in succession to the filling receptacle; also to control the descent of the ram of the filling press in such a manner that the partially compressed charges of material will be further compressed in the operation of moving the same from thefilling cage into the press cage; and also to improve expressing apparatus in the other respects hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings v Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, showing a series of expressing presses and a filling discharging apparatus for the press cage embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the cage filling and discharging apparatus, showing the position of theparts when the ram will be lowered step by step as the filling cage and preliminary press are filled with the loose charges of material preparatory to compacting the same 1nto the filling cage.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view thereof on line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 41 is a sectional plan view showing the filling cage partially turned to carry the charges of material from the preliminary press to the filling press.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 2, showing the position of the parts when the charges of material have been compacted into one of the filling cages and the press cage is partially filled.

Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of the controlling mechanism for the pre liminary press.

A A A represent three of a series of expressing or finishing presses of ordinary construction provided with press cages B in which the cakes or charges of material are subjected to pressure to express the oil there from, and which as usual are removable from the presses A A A for the purpose of filling and discharging the cages. When the cages have been filled and placed in these expressing presses the press rams C are raised to press the material in the cages between the rams and the head blocks D of the presses. For filling the cages with charges of material, the cages are transported from one finishing press after another to a filling apparatus by any suitable means, such as the usual truck E arranged to travel on a track in front of the line of expressing presses and to and from the filling appara tus.

The filling apparatus is preferably concage support 12 above the same, a press head 13 connected by columns 14 to the lower cylinder and cage support, a ram 15 working in the lower cylinder and adapted to move up in the press cage B, an upper cylinder 16 on the press head, a ram or plun- 1.8 are preferably formed in or carried by a frame or member 19 which is mounted to swing horizontally on one of the columns 14%. of the filling press to place either one of the filling cages or receptacles in charging position over the press cage B in the filling press. These filling cages: may be of any suitable shape and construction, either square, cylindrical or of other shape, but the filling cages are of the same interior cross sectional shape and dimensions as the press cage B, so that when one of the filling cages loaded with cakes or charges of ma terial is in registration with the press cage B, the cakes or charges of material can be shoved en masse from the filling cage into the press cage. Both the press cage and the filling cages are shown as having the usual longitudinal channels 20 and perforated lining plates 20 for the escape of oil expressed from the material.

21 represents a preliminary press which is arranged at one side of the filling press in position to be ertically in line with one of the filling cages 18 when the other filling cage 18 is in registration with the press cage B. This preliminary press comprises cylinder 22, a ram 23 movable vertically therein and provided at its upper end with a platen adapted to move upwardly in a box 2 1 which is supported on the cylinder 22. In the operative position of the filling cages, one of them, as 18, is above and in line with the press cage B, and the other cage 18 is above and in line with the box 2%, which thus forms a downwardextension or continuation of the press cage or receptacle 18.

25 indicates a head block or pressure head for the preliminary press 21. This head block is movable to and from a position over the upper end of the filling cagewhich registers with the box 24, the block being preferably pivoted to'swing horizontally on the column 14 above the frame 19 of the filling cages. When the material is being delivered into the filling cage, this head block is swung to one side out of the way.

The material to be pressed is delivered into the filling cage in the preliminary press in successive measured charges by any suitable means, such as a char ing box 26 which is adapted to be reciprocated from the position shown in Fig. 2, in which it receives a charge of material from a meal cooker 27, to a position over the adjacent filling cage for dropping the charge into the latter. This charging box can be of any usual or suitable construction and can be reciprocated by hand or by any suitable power operated mechanism. It is preferably reciprocated by a piston or plunger 28 working in a cylinder 29 and adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure admitted to and discharged from the cylinder by suitable means, (not shown). This charging device is preferably constructed and operated as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,158,797, granted Nov. 2nd, 1915, to Alfred 7. French. The press cage is filled in the following man ner:---

Assuming the filling cages to be in the positions shown in Fig. 2 with the cage 18 over the press cage B, and the cage 18 in the preliminary press, and the head block 25 to be swung to one side out of the way, the ram 23 of the preliminary press is moved upwardly through the box 24 and the filling cage 18 to the upper portion of the latter leaving sufiicient space above the same in the cage for one charge. A press plate and press cloth are placed in the upper end of the filling cage on the ram platen and the charging box 26 is operated to deposit a charge of material into the filling 'cage 18 'The ram 23 then lowers a step, and a press cloth, press plate and another press cloth are placed in the filling cage on the charge of material, and the charging box is again operated to deliver another charge of material into the filling cage. This operation is repeated, the

- ram 23 descending step by step until the filling cage 18 and the cage extension 2a beneath the same are filled with loose charges of material separated by press plates and cloths as shown in Fig 2. The head block is then swung into position over the filling cage 1.8 as shown in Fig. 2 and fiuid under presssure is admittted to the preliminary press'cylinder to move the ram 23 upwardly. The upward movement of the ram is continued until all of the charges of material filling both the filling cage and the cage extension are compressed or packed into the filling cage 18 and the ram of the preliminary press is again lowered. The frame 19 carrying the filling cages is then swung around to place the filled cage 18 over the press cage Band the empty filling cage 18 in the preliminary press in position to be filled as explained above in connection with the filling cage 18 While the second filling cage 18 is being thus filled the packed cakes are discharged from or moved out of the first filling cage 18 into the press cage B by means of the upper ram or plunger 17, which is operated by admitting fluid under pressure to the upper cylinder 16. The entire load or mass of packed cakes in the first filling cage 18 is moved-bodily at one time by the ram or plunger 17 into the cage B, the lower ram 15 which at the commencement of the charging operation was in the upper end of the press cage being moved downwardly, preferably as hereinafter explained, to permit the entrance of the mass of cakes into the press cage B.

By providing the box 24, forming an extension of the filling cage, it is possible to deposit in the filling cage and extension a number of loose charges sufiicient to completely load the filling cage when the charges have been packed by the operation of the ram 23 of the preliminary press. F or instance, if the filling cage is thirty inches long it would hold only ten loose charges of material of approximately three inches each,

and if these were compacted in the filling cage it would be necessary to put in more charges and repeat the packing operation to fill the filling cage with the packed charges. l fith the extension, however, a much larger number of loose charges, depending upon the length of the box, say eighteen charges, can

be deposited in the filling cage and extension and all of these charges then packed into the filling cage by a single operation of the ram 23.

If the press cage B is twice as long as the filling cage, at least two of these loads of packed charges can be introduced into the press cage, thus enabling the press cage to be quickly filled with a large numberof partially compressed charges or cakes. In moving the charges or cakes from the filling cage into the press cage B they are, however, preferably further compressed, as hereinafter explained, so that more than two loads from the filling cages are taken by the press cage. For this purpose the return or dis charge pipe 30 for the actuating liquid for the filling press ram 15 is provided with a pressure-opened valve 31, which is held closed by a weight 32 or other means so that this valve will be opened and permit the dis-- charge of the liquid from the cylinder 11 of the filling press only when the ram 15 is subjected to a predetermined pressure. As

consequence, when the upper plunger 1? is actuated to move the mass of cakes out of the filling cage into the press cage B, the mass is subjected to suficient pressure between the plunger 17 and the ram 15 to further compress the mass of cakes, the ram descending only as permitted by the reliei valve 51 which is adjusted to give the predetermined desired pressure. The ram 15 is caused to descend by the descent of the upper plunger but offers the necessary resistance to the movement of the cakes and the upper plunger 17 to give the desired additional. compression to the cakes. l l hen operating upon material high in oil, this pressure can, if desired, be suilicient to cause some of the oil to be expressed, and in such case the oil will escape through the lining plates" and channels of the filling cage and press cage 3. 33 indicates a 3-way valve adapted to be set to connect the cylinder ll either with the pressure liquid supply pipe 34 or the return pipe 30. I

While two filling cages arranged and operatcd as described are preferred, since they enable the two operations of filling one cage and disch ing the other to be carried on simultaneous will be apparent that the ad-.antagcs the invention can be at least partially real lZGCl by the use of a single "illing cage, lt should also be evident that a filling appa s such as described would be desirable even without the use of the box 24 forming the extension of the filling cage.

The following means are shown for causing the rain 23 of the preliminary press to descend intermittently as the charges are delivered thereto by the charging box 26.

The actuating liquid for the ram 23 is ad mitted to the press cylinder 22 from a supply pipe 35 and discharges therefrom through a return or discharge pipe 36. A 3-way valve 37 controls the connection between the supply and return pipes and in one position admits the liquid to the press cylinder 22 and in the other position, shown in Fig. 6, connects the press cylinder with the return pipe 36. In the discharge or return pipe is a valve 38 which is opened and closed under the control of the movement of the charging box 26. This valve, as shown, is provided with a lever 39 which is engaged to close the valve by a cam ll attached to the apron or other part of the charging box 26, and the valve is opened or moved in the opposite direction by a weight 4L1 attached to the valve. When the charging box 26 is advanced to deposit a charge of meal into the filling cage, the cam l0 closes the valve 38 which prevents the descent of the rain 23, and when the charging box is returned for the next charge the valve opens and allows the ram to descend until the charg ing box is again advanced, the ram being thus caused to descend intermittently as the charging box is reciprocated. Any other suitable means for this purpose could be employed.

42, Fig.4, represents a table'over which the lower ends of the filling cages are adapted to slide in the movement of the cages from the preliminary press to the filling press, for preventing the bottom plates or charges of meal from dropping out of the filling cages. A U-shaped rod 43, Fig. 2, secured to the ram 23 of the preliminary press, with one branch thereof extending up outside of the box at serves as an indicator to show the position of the ram. By observing the position of this indicator the operator can move the ram to a position to pack the charges into the filling cage and yet not interfere with the swinging movement of the filling cage.

The filling press 10 can also be used for discharging the cakes from the press cage after the oil has been expressed from the cakes in the expressing press. For discharging the cakes, the press cage B is placed in the filling press and the ram 15 gradually raised to eject the cakes out through the filing cage over the press cage, sufficient space for this purpose being left between the upper end of the filling cage and the head of the'press. an operative removes the cakes and plates and strips the cloths from the cakes as they are raised out of the cage.

We claim as our invention 1. In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of means for supporting the press cage, a filling cage adapted to hold a plurality of charges of material to be pressed, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material into said filling cage, means for packing said plurality of charges in said filling cage, means for placing said filling cage with the packed charges therein and said press cage into alinement with each other, and means for moving said packed charges from said filling cage into said press cage.

2. In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of means for supporting the presscage, a filling cage adapted to hold a plurality of charges of material to be pressed, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material into said filling age, means for packing said plurality of charges in said filling cage, said filling cage being movable with the packed charges therein to a position in line with said press cage, means for moving said packed charges from said filling cage into said press cage, and means for further compacting said charges in said press cage.

In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of means for supporting the press cage, a filling cage adapted to hold a plurality of charges of material to be pressed, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material into said filling cage, means for packing said plurality of charges in said filling cage, means for placing said filling cage with the packed charges therein and said press cage into alinement with each other, means for moving said packed charges from said filling cage into said press cage, and means cotiperating with said charge moving means for further compacting said charges in said press cage.

at. In a press apparatus, the combination of means for supporting an open ended press cage, a filling cage adapted to hold a plurality of charges of material to be pressed, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material into said filling cage, means for placing said filling cage with the plurality of charges therein and said press cage into alinement with each other, means for moving said charges from said filling cage into said press cage, means for compact ing said charges in said press cage, and a press in which said filled press cage is placed to subject the material to pressure.

5. in an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of means for supporting the press cage, a filling cage adapted to hold a plurality of charges of material to be pressed, means for delivering the charges of material into said filling cage, means for packing said charges in said filling cage, said filling cage being movable with the packed char es therein to a position in linewith said press cage, means for moving the packed charges therein to a position inline with said press cage, a plunger i'or moving said charges from said filling cage into saidpress cage, and a ram which coiiperates with said plunger for compressing said char es in said press cage.

7. in an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of means for supporting the press cage, a filling cage, a separate extension for said filling cage, means for filling said filling cage and cage extension with loose charges of material to be pressed, means to: compressing the charges of material in said filling cage and said cage extension into said filling cage, said filling cage being movable with the compressed charges therein to a position in line with said press cage, and means for moving said charges from said filling cage into said press cage.

8. In'an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination'or" means for supporting the press cage, an open ended filling cage, a box forming an extension for 7 said filling cage, means for filling said filling cage and cage-extension with loose charges of material to be pressed, ahead block at the upper end or" said filling cage, a ram movable insaid cage extension for moving the charges of material from said cage-extension into said filling cage and packing the charges in the filling cage between the ram and said head block, said filling cage being movable with the packed charges therein to a position in line with said press cage, and means for moving said charges from said filling cage into said press cage.'

9. in an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of a filling press adapted to support the press cage, a preliminary press arranged at one side oi said filling press, an open ended filling cage movable from a position in said preliminary press to a position registering with the upper 7 end of said press cage, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material to be ressed into said filling cage while the same is in said preliminary press, means for operating said preliminary press to pack the plurality of charges of material in said filling cage, and a plunger arranged to enter said filling cage when the latter registers with said press cage for moving the packed charges from said filling cage into said press cage.

10. In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of a filling press adapted to support'the press cage, a prelimlnary press arranged at one side oi said filling press, connected open-ended filling cages mounted to'register respectively with said press cage and preliminary press and to be moved to reverse the positions 01 said filling cages, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material to be pressed into the filling cage which registers with said preliminary press, said preliminary press being operable for packing the plurality of charges in said filling cage, and means for moving the charges from one of said filling cages into said press cage while the other filling cage is being-filled:

llv In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of a filling press comprising means for supporting the press cage, a ram adapted to enter said press cage from below, anda plunger arranged above said press cage, an open ended filling cage, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material to be pressed into said fillingcage, said filling cage being movable with the charges therein to; a position in registration with the upper end of said press cage, and means for operating said plunger and ram for moving the charges of material from said filling cage into said press cage and compressing the charges of material in said press cage.

12. In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of a filling press comprising means for supporting the press cage, a ram adapted to enter said press cage from below, and a plunger arranged above said press cage, an open ended filling cage, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material to be pressed into said filling cage, said filling cage being movable with the charges therein to a position in registration with the upper end of said press cage, means for operating said plunger to move the charges of material from the filling cage into said press cage, and means whereby said ram is moved downwardly by the pressure of said plunger on the material and coiiperates with said plunger to compress the charges of material in said press cage.

13. In an apparatus for filling open ended press cages, the combination of a filling press comprising means for supporting the press cage, a ram adapted to enter said press cage from below, and a plunger arranged above said press cage, an open ended filling cage, means for delivering a plurality of charges of material to be pressed into said filling cage, said filling cage being movable with the charges therein to a position in registration with the upper end of said press cage,

means for operating said plunger to move the charges of material from the filling cage into said press cage, and a pressure operated valve for relieving fluid pressure beneath said ram to permit the descent of said. ram. under the pressure thereon of said plunger, whereby said ram cooperates with said plunger to compress the material in said press cage.

14. In apparatus for filling open ended press cages, means for supporting the press cage, means for delivering charges of material to the cage, means movable in the cage to provide a receding support for the charges in the cage, means for resisting to a predetermined pressure movement of the charge supporting means, and-means for forcing charges of material into the cage from said delivery means-against the predetermined resistance or" said charge supporting means,

whereby the charges of material are com pacted by the supporting means and the charge forcing means.

15. In apparatus for filling open ended press cages, means for supporting the press cage in upright position, a ram adapted to enter the cage from below, fluid pressure means for moving said ramin the cage whereby said ram provides a receding support for charges of material placedin the cage, a plunger arranged to enter said cage from above, means for delivering charges of material to the upper end of the. cage,

means for operating said plunger to move the charges into the cage, and means for relieving fluid pressure beneath said ram to permit the descent of said ram under a predetermined pressure thereon of said plunger.

16. In apparatus for filling open ended press cages, means for supporting a press cage in upright position, a ram adapted'to enter the cage from below, fluid pressure means for moving said ram in the cage whereby said ram provides a receding support for char es of material placed in the cage, a plunger arranged to enter said cage from above, means for delivering charges of material to the upper end of the. cage, means for operating said plunger to move the charges into the cage, and a pressure op erated valve for relieving fluid pressure heneath said ram when a predetermined pressure has been applied thereto by saidplunger, ".vhereby said ram cooperates with said plunger to compress the material in said press cage to a p edetermined extent and to recede to permit of further charges or material being placed in said cage.

Witness our hands this 8 day of December, 1917.

ALFRED w. FRENCH. CLAUDE E. SMITH.

Witnesses i V MARGIE M. WHITLOOK, ADA PEARSON. V 

